Cardinals righthander Jack Flaherty, statistically the top pitcher since 1920 for career games started in August (minimum of 10), was seeking to improve on his 9-1 record and 0.94 earned run average for the month when he took on a Cleveland lineup that had rolled up 20 hits the night before at Busch Stadium.
Flaherty, whose earned run average and opponents’ batting average of .136 were lowest in history for the past 100 Augusts, was touched up by Jose Ramirez for a first-inning solo homer and a third-inning single on Saturday. But, on the single to center, Sandy Leon, waved home by Indians third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh and with All-Star Francisco Lindor due up next, was gunned down by a throw from center fielder Harrison Bader.